Junior Tyler Carpenter went 2-for-5 on Friday night and has hit safely in 16 consecutive games.
BEAUMONT — Kevin Roebuck's bases-loaded infield single with two down in the seventh plated Andy Mena with the game-winning run and Lamar sent UTSA to its fifth loss in a row with a 4-2 comeback victory on Friday night at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
The Cardinals (25-15, 10-9 SLC), who won their sixth game in a row, began their game-winning rally when Mena singled to right with one down. Quentin Luquette followed with his fourth walk of the night and that chased Roadrunners starter Casey Selsor from the contest. After a grounder to shortstop off the bat of Cameron Campbell moved the runners up a base, Ryan Meade drew a free pass from junior Taylor Walton to load the bases and Roebeck followed with a chopper up the middle that glanced off the glove of Walton to the vacant hole at short for a base hit.
That made a winner of Matison Smith (7-1), who allowed two runs on seven hits in seven-plus innings of work. The right-hander struck out six and walked a pair in the 115-pitch outing. Garrett Steward recorded the final six outs, including three strikeouts, for his second save of the season.
Lamar went on to add an insurance run in the eight when Luquette lofted a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to left, which brought home Joey Latulippe, who was credited with an infield bunt single after Zentek walked to lead off the frame.
Selsor (4-5) was saddled with the loss after giving up three runs on five hits and a career-high nine walks. The San Antonio native tied his career high of seven punchouts despite throwing just 56 of his 117 pitches for strikes. Walton walked a pair, as UTSA issued its most free passes since March 30, 2008 (14, vs. UT Arlington).
The Cardinals grabbed the early lead in the third when Aaron Buchanan scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Campbell.
UTSA (13-22, 4-15 SLC) tied the contest on freshman Jake Wood's two-out RBI double the next inning. That brought home freshman Ryan Dalton, who hit the first triple of his career prior to Wood’s two-bagger.
The Birds then went in front in the fifth when junior Tyler Carpenter's chopped a run-scoring single through the left side of the infield, which brought home senior Lance Brown.
Lamar tied the contest at two in the sixth when Ted Zentek drew a bases-loaded walk with two out.
Brown had a pair of extra-base hits, Carpenter extended his hitting streak to 15 games with his 2-for-5 performance and Dalton also added two hits.
Meanwhile, Mena led Lamar with his 3-for-5 performance at the plate.
The series continues at 2 p.m. on Saturday.